The turnover of the Dutch car and motorcycle sector increased by 17.6 percent in 2022 compared to a year earlier. This is evident from a report published on Tuesday Numbers of the Central Bureau of Statistics. In addition, turnover was 24.5 percent higher last year compared to 2019, the year before the corona crisis broke out. The increase in turnover in the sector is striking: the number of cars sold – albeit only new – fell in 2022 according to the official figures of BOVAG, RAI Association and RDC by 3.2 percent to around 312,000 units.
The increase in turnover is therefore due to higher car prices. Both the prices of new and used cars increased. Individual car parts also became more expensive. Despite the fall in the total number of purchased cars, car dealers did sell more electric cars, remarkably often of Chinese manufacture. In addition, electric buses and trucks were also sold more often.
The corona crisis had a major impact on the car and motorcycle industry. Sales of the vehicles fell due to temporary closures of showrooms and because, during periods when showrooms were open, customers were only allowed to look at new models outside. In addition, there was a worldwide chip shortage and car factories were temporarily closed, causing the production of cars and motorcycles to stagnate. Finally, the demand for new cars fell considerably, partly because people had less to spend due to the financial consequences of the crisis.